A Practical Guide - Palais des Nations

How to reach the Palais des Nations

Several buses stop at the Place des Nations, where the Palais des Nations is located. Trams 13 and 15, and buses 5, 8, F, V and Z, leave from Cornavin train station and stop at the Place des Nations. Buses 8, F, V and Z also pass by the Pregny gate, which is the entrance for tour groups or those without UN accreditation. Bus 28 goes from the Place des Nations to the airport. Buses 11 and 22 also stop at the Place des Nations.

There are ticket machines at most bus stops where you can buy individual tickets. Bus cards or passes can be bought at the main bus centres (Rive, Cornavin train station, or Bachet de Pesay) and at news-stands.

Free travel on Geneva Public Transport (TPG) from the airport.

How to enter the Palais des Nations

There are two gates to the Palais des Nations: on the Place des Nations and on the route de Pregny, in front of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross).

Regulations on the admission of luggage to the Palais des Nations

New rules governing the access of luggage to the UNOG grounds are in place. These measures are the result of the overall project for the enhancement of the security at the Palais des Nations currently under progress.

Only two types of luggage are considered. One is the large luggage normally bound to be checked-in for commercial airline transportation; the other type is the small luggage normally considered as carry-on luggage by airline companies, such as PC bags, rucksacks and hand backs.

As a general rule, access to the UN premises with large luggage is not authorized. Pedestrians carrying large luggage will be directed to the Pregny Gate where, after being security cleared, these items will be stored to the extent of the storage space available. Once the storage capacity is exhausted no additional large luggage will be accepted. UNOG declines all responsibility over luggage stored.

UN staff, permanent missions’ personnel and service providers carrying small luggage will be allowed to enter through all access points; security officers may carry out random checks at any time. NGO representatives, conference participants and officials visitors carrying small luggage will enter exclusively through the Pregny Gate, where their luggage may be subjected to in-depth security scrutiny; security stickers will be placed on these luggages as necessary. Guided tours visitors will not be allowed to enter with neither large nor small luggage.

Owners of unauthorized luggage found at the UNOG premises will be requested to remove it. All pieces of luggage found unattended may be impounded and disposed of by the Security and Safety Section. Any costs related to the latter action may be charged to the owner of the luggage.
 

Identification

If you don't have UN identification, you will have to go to the Pregny gate. You will need valid identification, for example a passport or national identity card.

You can obtain a UN pass by applying to the UNECE secretariat staff. Valid identification is also required for this. The secretariat will issue documentation, which you should then take to the Security Services at Pregny Gate, where identification passes are issued. There is no charge for this process.

Identification passes have an expiry date. After that date a further application must be submitted. Passes are not transmissible, and must be returned to the Security Services once they have expired.

The registration forms are attached to all meeting agendas and you should download the form from the relevant Division's website. (Only if the form is not available, please download it here).
 

Where to find documents

Documents are available, in limited quantities, at the Distribution Service in Office C.337, on the third floor of the Palais des Nations (door 6).
 

How to telephone from the Palais des Nations

Internal telephone numbers start with 7 and are followed by four digits. To make local calls, dial 0. There are public (paying) telephones in the main foyers of the UN buildings, from which you can make local, national or international calls. These telephones accept pre-paid phone cards, as well as credit cards.
 

Other general information